Brass vs Copper Olives

[Leoki]

Hi All

I'm looking for a view from the community please as to your preferences and why. Compression fittings dependening on the manufacturer come with either. I find sometimes that the brass olives that you get are quiet thick and chunky, I'm always concerned the extra beans need to tighten it onto the pipework will actually crush it. My favourites are the flowflex fittings, these come with a brass olive but its not as chunky and they have groove's around them. They feel better than an ordinary copper olive but less than a chunkier brass one, a really good in between.

What do you use and why ?.

I'll prempt the answer use what comes with the fitting. Do any of you discard the supplied olive in preference for one of your own choice ?

 

[lame plumber]

love copper. bit softer, dont need to squeeze it up too much

 

[Meady]

I find copper olives much easier to compress on the pipe

 

[REDSAW]

i use copper rather than brass, i collect them up as they look more expensive

cant stand those ringed olives, had some that split in half once after tightening up.

 

[JCplumb]

Copper for me on anything that's not chrome plated. If it's chromed I use brass.

 

[AMW]

Copper for me, as said before they tighten up easier.

 

[PhoenixServices]

Another vote for copper. Nice and easy to compress and i think don't leak.

 

[helpsy]

Copper for me.

 

[helpsy]

Had a few instances where tightened up a brass olive and the pipe just falls out.

 

[Masood]

One more vote for copper.

 

[SimonG]

Like copper.

 

[helpsy]

Had a few instances where tightened up a brass olive and the pipe just falls out.

Before anyone says it wasn't a 22mm olive on a 3/4" pipe!

 

[Best]

Looks like I am going to be the odd one out & say brass olives are better in some ways. That is, decent quality brass olives & for heating systems especially. Copper olives will tend to allow movement in the joint over time in heating pipes. Soft reasonably heavy brass olives do a good job. Conex brass olives were great, - & Kuterlite. Any of those thin, or ribbed, or flat olives with only a slight tapered edge, are all rubbish.
Obviously copper are better on plastic pipes.

 

[goz666]

Looks like I am going to be the odd one out & say brass olives are better in some ways. That is, decent quality brass olives & for heating systems especially. Copper olives will tend to allow movement in the joint over time in heating pipes. Soft reasonably heavy brass olives do a good job. Conex brass olives were great, - & Kuterlite. Any of those thin, or ribbed, or flat olives with only a slight tapered edge, are all rubbish.
Obviously copper are better on plastic pipes.

I'm with Best on this one, I've always had a preference for brass, find copper a bit too soft whereas with brass I get a good feel for when to stop turning, mind you I used to have forearms arms like popeye, all that w...orking hard !!!!

 

[Ermintrude]

Never pay that much attention. Use prestex or centerbrand never pay any attention to olives. Had more issue with nut splitting on cheap Middle Eastern cack.

 

[village idiot]

Brass for me all the time. Any fittings that come with copper olives, I discard copper olives and replace with brass. I ensure I carry a good stock of 22 & 15mm brass olives

 

[Dotty]

That's a relief. I thought I was the only one liking brass olives. Never had any go loose on me either. Even on 54mm pipe!

 

[kozak1968]

Anyone know why the manufacturers of the fittings prefer copper or brass olives?

 

[village idiot]

brass costs more to produce than copper, so those of them using copper are making a savings

 

[kay-jay]

Copper has a higher thermal expansion than brass. Therefore you should use copper on cold services and brass on heating and hot water if stored system.

 

[Geyser]

Happy if I find right size olive in the van let alone worry about brass or copper. As long as you know which your using and apply right pressure and smear of paste.

 

[lame plumber]

thought I would save time today using a speedfit union on a heating circuit, went back to a new swimming pool in the cupboard and had to swap it for a nice 22mm union with brass olives. Saved a few mins earlier in the day, took 20 mins to clear up and swap over later on. Never learn me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was only a temp run till the owner gets a roof back on the house, then its new runs through out........... he just wants heat to dry the place out, seems he took off the roof before he realized he needed a scaffold temp roof later once the rain started

 

[Belli]

I use what ever comes with the fitting normally, but with stop ends on first fix i like to use brass olives as i am able to just twist them off with my grips no matter how tight to the wall i left them before tiling/plastering.

 

[Leoki]

Thanks for taking the time to comment guys, it seems there's a reasonably healthy split in views.

 

[<marc>]

Another for copper i seem to get small leaks on the brass olives.